Relay



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WWW "'U j I I11 May 9, 1944. R. M. HEINTZ 2,348,541

RELAY Filed July 7, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 9, 1944 Ralph M. Heintz, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Jack & Heintz, Inc., Bedford, Ohio, a corporation oi! Ohio Application July 7,1942, Serial No. 450,039

' comma (or. 2oo 171 L This invention relates to electromagnetic relays and has particular reference to solenoid op- I erated relays for use in the power circuits of electric power consuming devices such as engine starters and the like.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved small and compact but heavy duty relay for controlling circuit carrying large currents.

A'particular object ofthe invention is to pro-- vide an improved relay for installation in engine starters, which will meet'the requirements of aircraft 1158. o

A further object is to provide a relay and terminal assembly of the type" described which may be built up from a plurality of sub-assemblies to facilitate production" of the device in quantity and dismantling for repair or replacement of These and other objects and advantages will ,become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanyin drawings, in which:

'Figure l is an elevational view or an engine starter with parts broken away to show the relay of the present invention installed therein;

Figure 2 is a top plan view or the starter shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the relay and terminal assembly, certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation, with parts broken away, of the assembly shown in Figure 3; and i Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sub-assem bly unit comprising the movable contact andterminal pin therefor.

The present relay and terminal assembly is designed to be accommodated in a cylindrical recess or well 2 in the electric starter I, its.tunc-' tion being to control the power circuit {or the motor thereof. This assembly is constructed as the solenoid Ill. When the solenoid is energized the movable core'element if is drawn toward a a removable unit 3 as shown in Figure 3 and the well 2 is preferably, though not necessarily, formed in a bilobate motor casing or housing of the type disclosed and claimed in my cope'nding.

application, Serial No. 450,038, filed July 7, 1942.

fixed core element l2 against the force of a compression spring l3. The, said lower end 8 01 the plunger'is insulated from ground through the'agency of insulating material I! in a cupped portion "receiving the main body of the plunger embedded therein as shown. The cupped portion It carries a flange I6 serving as an abut= ment tor a compression spring I! urging the contact member 1 against a nut or head portion It.

The travel of the plunger exceeds the clearance between the contacts so that when the movable contact member 1 engages the fixed contact 5 the plunger 9 continues its travel, compressing the spring I1 and carrying the nut l8 below the member! a short distance so as to increase the contact pressure and allow for wear on the contact faces. It will be appreciated that wear on the contact faces will not impair operation or the relay until there is no longer such excess travel of the plunger after closing or the contacts. To insure the best possible contact between the parts land I, the member I' is mounted for free rocking movement as well as longitudinal movement upon the end portion 8. 'Retum movement of the plunger under the influence of the spring I! is arrested by contact of an insulating flange Ha with an insulating washer l9 bearing against an angle plate 20 supporting the solenoid on one leg thereof.

The angle plate 20 carries on its other leg ,a terminal portion 2|. comprising the threaded member 22 for receiving a conduit coupling, and terminal pins such as 23, 23a and 24. The large terminal pin 24 is part of an integral terminal and contact sub-assembly 25 including also a conductor ring 26, a. metal bellows 21, and the movable contact member 1', as shown in Figure 5. The various parts of this sub-assembly are pref erably integrally united as by soldering or the like to provide a permanent good conducting path for large currents irom the pin 24 to the contact member 1. The uper end of the bellows 21 is united with the conductor ring 28 which has a depending ear, or lug, 26a for carrying the terminal pin 24, and the lower end of the bellows is similarly united with the contact member 1, the length and stifiness of the bellows being such as to offer substantially no interference with the solenoid action and contact movement as previously described. The function of the bellows 21 is merely that of a concentric flexible electrical meshing solenoid in the starter.

connection of large current carrying capacity for the movable contact element I.

When the assembly of Figure 3 is installed in the starter, or motor, or other electric power consuming device, the ring 26 seats on, or in, a tubular insulating liner 28 fitting within the well 2. The solenoid l then extends through an end opening 29 in the well 2, and the terminal portion 2| extends vthrough a side opening 30 for connection with an electrical supply conduit. In the illustrated embodiment a pair of leads 3| and 32 from the solenoid coil are connected with the contact pin 23a and the stud 23b, the latter being connected to ground through a spring finger 33 secured in the bottom of the well 2. If the starter is provided with a governor the finger 33 may be insulatedly carried by the member 4 and wired to the governor operated switch, in the ground side of the solenoid circuit. The terminal pin 23 is provided with a soldering lug or the like 34 for connection with a circuit to a Jaw The solenoid leads 3| and 32, and the power lead, constituted by the ear 26a, are seen to be disposed between the legs of the angle plate 20 so as to be housed within the well 2 along with the main contacts and l. The angle plate with its associated solenoid and terminal portion preferably conforms to, and closes, the top and side openings 23 and of the well 2.

While the present relay is particularly adapted to be housed in a well or recess in a motor frame having a bilobate extension on the commutator end, it may be mounted in any available space on or within any kind of power consuming device to be controlled, or it may be mounted apart from said device and provided with its own housing. Also, various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement, and certain features may be used without others.

and modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention and the same is to be limited-only by the scope of the and the prior art.

I claim:

All such changes 4 1. A switch mechanism comprising a plunger, a contact member on said plunger, a stationary annular conductor ring surrounding said plunger, and a flexible metallic bellows surrounding said plunger and constituting an electrical connection a conductor-ring around said plunger and insulated therefrom, and a flexible metallic bellows surrounding said end portion and said biasing spring and bonded at its respective ends to said contact disc and said conductor ring for energizing said contact disc.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a plunger, an insulating body on the end of said plunger, 8. flanged end portion for said plunger carried by said insulating body, a stop on the extremity of said end portion, a contact disc carried by said end portion, a spring bearing against said flange for biasing said contact disc against said stop, a conductor ring surrounding said plunger and insulated therefrom, a terminal post carried by said conductor ring, and a flexible metallic bellows bonded at its respective ends to said conductor ring and said contact disc for energizing said contact disc.

4. In a relay switch mechanism having a contact member on a plunger, a conductor ring surrounding said plunger and insulated therefrom,

and a flexible tubular sleeve of conducting material surrounding said plunger andv electrically appended claims united at its respective ends with said ring and 0 said member, said tubular sleeve being exposed within and without to atmospheric pressure whereby said assembly has a large current carrying capacity and said ring serves as a stationary terminal for said movable contact member.

RALPH M. HEINTZ. 

